Kodak to kill Kodachrome

74-year-old film brand faces final spool

Production of Kodak’s historic Kodachrome colour film will end later this year, the company has announced.

Kodachrome film has been produced by Kodak for the past 74 years, but the firm admitted that the popularity of newer films and digital photography have seen Kodachrome sales slump to account for “just a fraction of one per cent of Kodak’s total sales of still-picture films”.

The complex manufacturing process required to make Kodachrome – and then to process the stills - probably also contributed to the film’s demise, Kodak hinted.

Kodak’s Professional Ektachrome E100G and Ektar 100 films aren’t affected by the decision to kill off Kodachrome, the company stressed.

Current supplies of Kodachrome film will be exhausted by early autumn, Kodak estimates. However, processing for the film will continue until next year. ®